TRUCE

01.31.11

Egypt's Army Calls a Ceasefire

Egypt’s massive military apparatus, stuck between the 30-year rule of President Hosni Mubarak and the hundreds of thousands of protesters railing for him to leave, seems to be inching toward the side of demonstrators. On Monday, the army promised not to use force against peaceful protests, vowing to respect “the legitimacy of the people’s demands.” Meanwhile,
250,000 Egyptians have gathered in downtown Cairo on the seventh day of protests, vowing not to leave until Mubarak is ousted. Witnesses described the mood in the streets as “
a giant sleepover.”